Combining treatments that deliver with the greatest products means that you can kiss heavy holiday make-up goodbye. Instead, the following products and treatments help to banish uneven skin tone, minimize blemishes and boost radiance – leaving you with flawless skin this summer.

The Pre-Holiday Treatments

The Skin-Tone Perfector: IPL

One of the main benefits of foundation is that it irons out any patches of pigmentation and uneven skin tone, but a few sessions of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) can do just that, leaving you with a noticeably more refined finish. IPL uses high intensity pulses of visible light to reduce the appearance of everything from sunspots to scars and broken capillaries. While it works along the same lines as a laser (in that both see light being absorbed by cells with colour), it’s extremely gentle with zero downtime.Have it at least a month before sun exposure and of course, wear a great sunscreen (see below) whilst away.

This is a two-phase at-home treatment but it has results akin to a professional one. Packed with Vitamin C, the treatment reduces dark spots, brightens skin and ups natural collagen production. Smooth on and massage in the Phase One to get rid of dead, dull skin before adding “the activator” on top to brighten skin-tone and boost radiance.

The On Holiday Products

“To have the skin you want, you have to be sun smart and not sun stupid,” advises Paula’s Choice Founder Paula Begoun.To this end, she’s dedicated a lot of attention not only to protecting the skin from UV rays but also to reversing some of the damage that’s already been done. This SPF is one of several (they vary according to skin type), but we love it for holidays thanks to its ultra-nourishing texture and ability to rebalance uneven skin tone.

The Foundation Filter: Diorskin Nude Air Serum

This foundation still sets the benchmark for imperceptible makeup. Evaporating oils means that it quite literally melts into skin, and the added hint of moisture from the oils means that you’re left looking dewy and even-skin toned without looking like you’re wearing any make-up.

The Skin Perfecting Concealers: Vichy Dermablend Color Correctors

Dermablend has made a name for itself as the go-to imperfection banishing brand, and their latest launch takes them one step further. Four coloured concealers work to neutralize different skin concerns and last a staggering 24 hours. Green offsets redness caused by spots and Rosacea, yellow instantly lifts dark circles, purple banishes yellowness, and apricot corrects hyper-pigmentation. While other coloured concealers have been around for longer, these are the only ones we’ve tried that melt into skin and last.

illustration by Samantha Shammas

Amy Wilson Wyles

A native Londoner, Amy discovered her love for health & beauty while working at Harper’s Bazaar in New York before returning home to work for Conde Nast, Shortlist Media and Net-a-Porter. Eight years later, the mission remains the same: to discover the products and treatments that really work.